The mental health of older people in their last year of life (sampled from death certificates) will be investigated as a function of their physical health, demographic characteristics, independence in performing self-care and instrumental tasks of daily living, cognitive ability, family, friends, formal supports, use of time, and attitudes toward death. The method to be used is the retrospective reporting of surviving close-kin, approached about 6 months following the death of the older relative. This year of life will be compared with the similarly retrospective reports by a close kin of a year of life of a still-living older relative, from a local probability sample of community-resident aged. Standardized informant derived interview measures and a series of time-line ratings that seek to capture the changing nature of experience will constitute the data. The mental health of both older person and informant will be predicted statistically through multivariate procedures. A model of well-being previously derived and validated by these applicants will be tested and extended. The results are expected to provide valuable parametric data comparing last year with a "normal" year, theoretically relevant data for stress theory, and highly useful knowledge for practitioners who work with older people and their families.